16 Section 1 • Guide to Listening Comprehension

LESSON 1
ANTICIPATING QUESTIONS ABOUT DIALOGS

Between each dialog in PartA, there is a twelve-second pause. During the pause, here's what you
should do:
• Answer the question you have just heard as quickly as you can.
• Preview the choices for the next item.

A look at the answer choices may tell you the topic of the upcoming dialog and what question will be
asked about it. Consider the answer choices below:
(A) Before she leaves her dormitory.
(B) During chemistry class.
(C) After the lab period.
(D) While she's eating lunch.
Even a quick glance will tell you that the dialog must be about a student's schedule and that the
question will begin, "When. . . :'
If you have an idea of the topic of the dialog and if you know what the question about the dialog
will be, you will know what to listen for, and your listening task will be easier.

Exercise 1

Focus: Guessing which type of question will be asked about dialogs by looking at the four answer
choices.
Directions: QUickly look over the five Part A items in each set. Try to guess the topic ofthe dialog
and the type of question that would be asked about it. Then look at the list of questions following
each set of items. Put the letter of the appropriate question in the blank provided. One question in
each set will not be used. The first one is done as an example.
Note: There is no audio material for this exercise.
SetA

1. (A) Pleased. 4. (A) He left it in the lock.

(B) Cold. (B) It's still in his dorm room.
(C) Disappointed. (C) He put it in his pocket.
(D) Hungry. (D) It doesn't work in this lock.
Question: b Question:
2. (A) Go to her office. 5. (A) Playing a game.
(B) Call a taxi. (B) Attending a play.
(C) Show the man where to find a taxi. (C) Learning some lines.
(D) Get directions. (D) Trying to find tickets.
Question: Question:
3. (A) Cloudy but much warmer. a) What will tomorrow's weather probably
(B) Rainy. be like?
(C) Clear but cold. b) How does the man feel?
(D) The same as today's. c) What are these people doing?
Question: d) Where will the man go tomorrow?
e) What does John say about the key?
f) What will the woman do next?

Set B
6. (A) He had given his textbooks to a friend.
(B) He would receive more money.
(e) He wouldn't get to the bookstore on
time.
(D) He hadn't sold his textbooks.
Question:
7. (A) She enjoyed it very much.
(B) She thought it was too long.
(e) She liked it more than the movie
reviewer did.
(D) She found it confusing.
Question:
8. (A) A tuition increase.
(B) A policy change.
(e) A new class.
(D) A recent proposal.
Question:
9. (A) Buy some new software.
(B) Get her computer ftxed.
(e) Use the computers at the library.
(D) Borrow his computer.
Question:
10. (A) He doesn't have the right notebook.
(B) He forgot to bring a pen.
(e) He went to the wrong lecture hall.
(D) He was late for the lecture.
Question:
a) What did the woman think about the
movie?
b) What is the man's problem?
c) What does the man suggest Ann do?
d) What had the woman assumed about
the man?
e) What information does the man want?
1) What are they discussing?
Section 1 • Guide to Listening Comprehension 17
Set C
11. (A) His brother helped him move the piano.
(B) He moved the piano to his brother's
house.
(e) His brother taught him to play the
piano.
(D) He and his brother hired professional
movers.
Question:
12. (A) To ask her a question.
(B) To get her advice.
(C) To give her a suggestion.
(D) To disagree with her idea.
Question:
13. (A) Who Katie is.
(B) What was said.
(e) When Katie called.
(D) What the problem was.
Question:
14. (A) She's probably an expert on modern
art.
(B) She didn't paint the picture herself.
(e) She's just begun to study painting.
(D) She probably doesn't like modern art.
Question:
15. (A) At the beginning of the spring semester.
(B) During spring break.
(C) During ftnal exams.
(D) Right after fmal exams.
Question:
a) How does the man feel about the
woman's remark?
b) Why did the man call Professor Wilkey?
c) What does the woman want to know?
d) When does this conversation take
place?
e) What does the man mean?
1) What can be inferred about the woman?
 18 Section 1 • Guide to Listening Comprehension

LESSON 2
DIALOGS WITII SOUND CONFUSION

Some of the items in Part A involve a confusion between words that have similar sounds. Here's how
they work: one of the speakers uses a word or phrase that sounds like a word or phrase in one or
more of the answer choices. If you don't hear the word clearly, you might incorrectly choose an
option with a sound-alike word or phrase.

Sample Item
You will hear:
Ml: I've never had this type of fruit before. I don't even know what
to do with it.
Fl: You just have to peel it and eat it.
M2: What does the woman mean?
You will read:
(A) She doesn't feel like eating fruit.
(B) The man should take the pill before eating.
(C) The fruit shouldn't be eaten until it's been peeled.
(D) She isn't familiar with this type of fruit either.

The word feel in choice (A) sounds like the word peel in the dialog. In a different
way, the word pill in choice (B) also sounds like the word peel. Notice that choice
(C)-the correct answer-and choice (D) do not contain sound-alike words.

Many sound-alike expressions in Part A are minimal pairs. Minimal pairs are two words that are
pronounced alike except for one vowel sound (peel and pill, lack and lake, point and paint) or one
consonant sound (peel andfeel, vine and wine, mop and mob).
Another sound problem involves two words that sound like one word, such as mark it and
market, sent her and center, in tents and intense.
A third type of sound problem involves one word that sounds like part of a longer word, such as
nation and imagination, mind and remind, give andforgive.
Hint: If an answer choice contains a word that sounds like a word in the spoken
sentence, that choice is probably wrong. For example, if you hear the word spell and
you read the word spill in an answer choice, you can eliminate that choice.
When you're taking Part A during an actual exam, you can use the context of the dialogs to help
you solve problems with sound confusion. If you hear and understand all of the dialog, you won't
have much trouble eliminating choices involving sound-alike words. However, if you only understand
part of a dialog or if you "mis-hear" one or two words, you may easily choose an incorrect answer.

Exercise 2.1

Focus: Discriminating between sound-alike words in dialogs and answer choices.

Directions: Listen to the dialogs. Decide which of the two choices, (A) or CB), best answers the
question, and mark the appropriate blank. The first one is done as an example.
-4J)) Now start the audio.
 Section 1 • Guide to Listening Comprehension 19

1. (A) _ _ Get in a different lane. 8. (A)_._ Its taste has improved.

(B)~ Stand in another line. (B) ____ It tastes slightly bitter.
2. (A) _ _ Go down the slide. How much the ticket cost.
9. (A) ____
(B) _ _ Play on the sled. (B) ___ What Ellen might win.

3. (A) _ _ Put them in a file. 10. (A) _ _ _ It's been chipped.

(B) _ _ Throw them in a pile. <..B) _ _ There's a ship inside it.
4. (A) _ _ _
He can't shut his suitcase. 11. (A) _ _ He tripped in the aisle.
(B) _ _ His suitcase doesn't fit in the (B) _ _ He slipped in some oil.
closet. 12. (A) _ _ For its fast horses.
5. (A) ____ She made bread from whole (B) _ _ For its natural resources.
wheat.
13. (A) _ _ Thinking about the decision.
(B) __ --- She baked some white bread.
(B) _ _ Arguing about the issue.
6. (A) _____ It's being audio.
(B) __
14. (A) _ _ The color is too bright.
Brenda is typing it. (B) _ _ It doesn't fit around the neck.
7. (A) _ _ _ Emily bought new clothes.
(B) _ _ 15. (A) _ _ Wrote his name on the paper.
Emily recently moved. (B) _ _ Told his students to write a
paper.

Exercise 2.2

Focus: Identifying sound-alike expressions in answer choices and choosing correct answers.
Directions: Listen to the dialogs. Each dialog contains a word or phrase that sounds like a word or
phrase in two of the answer choices. Underline these words. Underline only those words with
similar sounds, not words that are exactly the same. Then mark the answer choice that has the same
meaning as the spoken sentence. (The correct answer will not contain any sound-alike words.) The
first one is done as an example.
l1li))) Now start the audio. If necessary, repeat this exercise to make sure that you have underlined all
the sound-alike words.

1. (A) ___ She went to the center with her friend.

(B) ~ She wrote her friend a letter.
(C) ___ She told her friend to call her later.
2. (A) ___ He has an appointment with the president.
(B) _ _ _ He was just appointed vice-president.
(C) _ _ _ He's unhappy because he lost the election.
3. (A) ___ It is a study of the life of plants.
(B) _ _ _ It concerns the breeding of cattle.
(C) ___ It deals with life on Earth.
4. (A) ___ They can't leave until the rain is over.
(B) _ _ _ Their drain has stopped up.
(C) ___ He shouldn't board the train until it completely stops.
5. (A) ___ He offered his help to Darlene.
(B) ___ He made an offer to Darlene's sister.
(C) ___ When Darlene was gone, he missed her.
 20 Section 1 • Guide to Listening Comprehension

6. (A) ____ _ Get a copy made.

(R) Buy some cough drops.
L (C) Eat in the coffee shop.
7. (A) He didn't hear what the woman said.
(B) He can lend the man a pen.
'--.-- (C i He had a pain behind his ear.
8. (A; The food in this town isn't very good.
(ll) _._ She needed boots when she left home.
(C The flooding in her neighborhood was severe.
9. (AI She's been weakened by the sickness.
,
>
'
(B! She was awakened by the coughing.
(C) , She missed class because of her cough.
10. (A) Evaluate the texts.
(B) Correct the exams.
(C) __ Collect the tests.
II. (A) __ His apartment is more comfortable now.
(B) __ He recently bought a new van.
(C) He's been feeling fine lately.
12. (A) _ _ Her name is not on the list.
(B) ___ The lease is difficult to read.
(C) ___ The lawyer told her to call the police.